Friday, 30 September 2016

A Harrow man convicted of
molesting a woman has received a suspended prison sentence.Andrew Nicholas Passer, 59, of Old
Lodge Way has also been placed on the sex offenders register for
seven years.He fought the case, but was
convicted by a Harrow Crown Court jury.Passer was sentenced to six months
imprisonment, suspended for two years.He was also ordered to complete
150 hours community service work and pay £2,000 towards prosecution
costs.Passer denied, but was found
guilty of sexually assaulting the woman, who cannot be named for
legal reasons, in Honeypot Lane, Harrow on December 9, 2014.He was acquitted of driving his
MGB GT dangerously at the same time and place.

Thursday, 29 September 2016

A grandmother,
accused of facebook harrasment, has appeared in court for the first time.Melissa Watson, 46, of Abbots
Gate, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk claims the messages have been doctored by the complainant to
incriminate her."I've got all the undoctored messages. He's doctored what he wrote before he went to the police," she told Bromley Magistrates Court."In effect he's got off scott free and I'm standing here."She will return to the court for trial on November 30.Watson pleaded not guilty to one
count of harassing Martin Gamby between June 9 and July 19 by also
sending emails and instant messages to him, his friends, work
colleagues and family.

Wednesday, 28 September 2016

A neighbour, who set-up a fake
facebook page to frame a man living a few doors down, has been warned
he will probably be locked-up.Scotsman Andrew Currie, 48,
created the bogus online account, which was full of offensive
comments directed at himself.Jobless Currie, of Newark Road,
South Croydon pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice
between April 5 and August 7, 2014 by claiming his neighbour had made
the facebook insults.His partner, Joanna Goodwin, 41,
has always denied the same charge and the prosecution offered no
evidence against her and a not guilty verdict was entered.Croydon Crown Court heard that
when aged in his twenties Currie was convicted of a similar offence
when he tried to blame another person for criminal offences.His lawyer Thomas Quinn told the
court: “This happened in haste. He has been advised custody is
almost inevitable.”Currie is in poor health after
suffering three strokes in the last six years.Judge Daniel Flahive bailed him
until October 24 for sentencing, announcing: “This can be nothing,
but custody.“At the moment it calls for an
immediate custodial sentence.“On a no promises basis I'll
keep an open mind until I hear the opening of the prosecution.“At the moment I see no option,
but custody so prepare yourself for that.”

Monday, 26 September 2016

Hendon MP Matthew Offord has had a charge of threatening behaviour against him dropped at Hendon Magistrates Court last Friday.

The 46 year-old Tory did not appear before the court, which was told the Crown Prosecution Service discontinued the case late the day before.

The court register gave his address as his constituency office at Churchill House, 120 burns Lane, Hendon, where the incident occurred on May 5.

It was alleged he made explicit gestures from his office window at passing Labour campaigners, who were travelling on a decommissioned fire engine.

The Fire Brigades Union vehicle was being used by ex-Labour MP Andrew Dismore and driven by union member Steve James.

Offord was interviewed by police at South Harrow Police Station on June 24 and summoned to court via requisition.

He was due to appear on a charge of using threatening or abusive words or behaviour or disorderly behaviour within the hearing or sight of a person likely to be caused harassment, alarm or distress, contrary to Section 5 of the Public Order Act.

The CPS ruled there was “no realistic prospect of conviction.”

The MP had no representative in court, but his solicitors Hodge Jones & Allen, of North Gower Street, Camden successfully applied for defence costs.

Sunday, 25 September 2016

A magician
and hypnotist, accused of hitting his girlfriend with a champagne
bottle, has appeared in court where he claimed self-defence.Marcus
Anthony Lewis, 30, of 67 Kipling Avenue, Worthing is said to have
struck the woman on the elbow, causing bruising and swelling.The
prosecution told Hammersmith Magistrates Court there is a suspicion a
fracture was caused, but no medical evidence to confirm this.Lewis
pleaded not guilty to assaulting Catherine Mallett, causing her
actual bodily harm, on on July 14 and a second count of assaulting
her on July 18.Prosecutor
Mr. Nathan Miebai told the court: “The defendant has hit the
complainant with a champagne bottle, causing injury to her arm.“As a
result the complainant's arm was fractured,” he added, admitting:
“There is no medical evidence.”The
defence say the injury exhibits nothing more than “bruising and
swelling” and ocurred as a result of Lewis, who is of good
character, defending himself.He was
bailed for a trial at Westminster Magistrates Court on January 13,
next year on condition he does not attend Miss Mallett's address in
Frithville Gardens, White City, Shepherd's Bush.

Saturday, 24 September 2016

A Norwich
man left a fellow football supporter “sparko” with a single punch
after jostling between two groups leaving a tense Premier League
match last season.Stephen
Best, 36, of Bahram Road, Costessey had just watched Chelsea FC's
2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur when he lashed out.He pleaded
guilty at Hammersmith Magistrates Court to assaulting Christopher
Gray outside Stamford Bridge stadium on May 2.He
was fined £350, with £85 costs and was ordered to pay the victim
£200 compensation and a £36 victim surcharge.The result
of the night game finally ended Tottenham Hotspur's title ambitions.In a
statement Mr. Gray said: “We were sitting in the upper block and I
left the ground with my son to catch a train home and we made our way
towards Fulham Road.“I was
assaulted, but don't remember much about it. I suffered cuts to the
left side of my jaw and received an x-ray.“I had
whiplash and my jaw was swollen and I had severe bruising to the side
of my mouth. I was off work for three days.”The
victim's son, aged twenty-four, told police they were near the
official Chelsea club shop.“A guy
barged into my dad deliberately and punched him in the face when
asked: 'What are you doing?'“My dad
seemed to be out of it. He was struggling to breathe, I thought he
was sparko.”When
questioned Best said he was with his seven year-old son and father
and there was some “pushing and shoving” and he acted out of a
sense of defending his group.Magistrate
Mr. Richard Duncalf told the first-time offender: “People at
football matches are entitled to go home without being assaulted.“You've
lost your good character. Any more trouble at football matches and
you will have a football banning order imposed and a much more
serious sentence.”

Friday, 23 September 2016

A blogger accused of stalking writer, broadcaster and social commentator Sonia Poulton has appeared in court for the first time.

Darren Laverty, 49, of Maes Hyfryd, Beaumaris, Anglesey is said to have tweeted to her or about her over 300 times.

He indicated a not guilty plea at Wimbledon Magistrates Court and was sent to Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court for a preliminary hearing on October 18 after electing jury trial.

Father-of-three Laverty blogs about Wrexham’s Bryn Estyn children’s home, which is at the centre of an abuse enquiry.

He has been charged with one count of stalking involving serious harm or distress between January 30, 2015 and May 12, this year, causing Sonia Poulton serious alarm or distress, which had an adverse effect on her day-to-day activities.

She is a regular guest on ITV’s ‘This Morning’, often commenting on issues involving children.

Sonia, 52, has also debated issues concerning young adults and senior citizens, health and crime among others.

She has written many articles, most notably for the Daily Mail and Daily Express.

Prosecutor Miss Amanda McCabe told the court: “The complainant is a journalist and after the Jimmy Savile enquiry she began reporting on it and receiving abuse from people, and the police say one of them is the defendant.

“She feels this is a sustained campaign against her and she’s harassed by the defendant.

“Most of this has taken part via twitter.

“The defendant tweeted either about or to the complainant on approximately three-hundred occasions, causing her to suffer alarm and distress.

“If convicted the defendant is likely to receive a custodial sentence.”

Laverty remains on bail on condition he does not enter London, contact Sonia or mention her in online communication.

Thursday, 22 September 2016

A disabled NHS patient, who needs 24-hour care, appeared in court today accused of wasting funds on hiring young Eastern European carers he spied on with secret cameras.

Farina Mian, 31, who suffers muscular dystrophy and needs a specially-adapted wheelchair machine to keep him breathing, claims the cameras were for home security.

Mian, of Banstead Court, White City, Westway, Shepherd’s Bush elected jury trial when he appeared at Hammersmith Magistrates Court and will appear at Isleworth Crown Court on October 20 for a preliminary hearing.

He has indicated a not guilty plea to three charges allegedly committed at his home address between January 17, 2011 and August 16, last year.

He is charged with voyeurism for sexual gratification; installing recording equipment for the purpose of voyeurism and sexual gratification and observing a person doing a private act for sexual gratification.

Prosecutor Mr. Michael Mallon told the court: “The NHS is funding Mr. Mian to employ carers and he has the freedom to choose his own carers.

“He recruits young Eastern European females and they live at his address on rotation.

“He’s installed cameras in their private living quarters by a relative who was duped into it.”

An onboard computer on the defendant’s wheelchair allows him to access the cameras.

“Mr. Mian has been zooming in, seeing what is happening in those private quarters.”

Police have seized 49 videos and 11 still images.

One video is said to record a carer in the shower.

“They were recorded in private, there’s significant planning and it is an abuse of trust.

“It’s a waste of NHS money for this purpose.”

Miss Sadaf Etemadi, defending, told the court: “The cameras were set up for security reasons, Mr. Mian being a victim of crime previously.

“That was the only intention for installing the cameras.”

District Judge Tim King announced: “On the facts opened to me it is very unpleasant. There is breach of trust and planning.”

Tuesday, 20 September 2016

A cleaning supervisor at Orpington Hospital groped female members of staff, threatening them with the sack or a cut in hours if they complained, a court heard today.

Abdel Majid Rabti, 47, is accused of slapping the backsides and groping the breasts and thighs of domestic staff he believed would never report him, the Croydon Crown Court jury were told.

The first cleaner, who cannot be identified, told the court: “He slid his hand down my breast and when I shouted at him he went white.

“He’d grab my hand and pull it towards his penis area and I’d pull it away,” she added. “That happened quite a lot, all the time for years.”

Rabti, of Gumping Road, Orpington claims the three women have invented the allegations to “get rid of him”.

He has pleaded not guilty to sexually assaulting each woman twice and assaulting one of them once at the hospital, which is also known as Princess Royal University Hospital and is located near Farnborough.

Prosecutor Mr. Deepak Kapur said: “This defendant touched each of the complainants. The touching was sexual and none of the complainants consented.

“It was totally unwarranted conduct toward these individuals.

“He abused his position in a supervisory capacity. He was robust in his view and thought they would not report him.

“Any suggestion they would was repressed by him intimidating them through hours of work or their jobs and it did remain unreported for some time.”

The earliest incident, in September, 2014, involved the first cleaner. “He grabbed her hand and tried to get her to touch his penis.

“She resisted and he tried to pass it off as a joke.”

The jury were told Rabti struck again on January 30, last year when the woman was working in the rehab department.

“He put his hand to her chest, slid down to her breast and squeezed.”

A second cleaner also came forward. “She said on two occasions he smashed, stroked, fondled her buttocks.

“The first time she was leaning over a cleaning table and he laughed it off.

“The second time he did the same when she walked past him, he slapped her bum again and laughed it off, but this time threatened her with the sack.”

Rabbit is also charged with assaulting this woman. “He even threatened to attack her,” explained Mr. Kapur.

“He started picking on her, became annoyed and threatened to sack her and raised his hand is if to hit her and threatened to kill her if she told anyone.

“He told her to shut up or he would smash her head against a wall and held his throat in a threatening manner.”

Regarding the third cleaner Mr. Kapur added: “She was by the sink washing up and the defendant pressed his body against her, pushed his groin against her backside and moved side to side.

“Another time he ran his hand up her leg, up her skirt to the top of her leg.”

Monday, 19 September 2016

A female doctor has been given a
twelve-month restraining order preventing her from contacting her
ex-boyfriend after charges of assault and stalking were dropped.Dr. Harpreet Chawla, 45, of
Broadlands Avenue, Shepperton, was arrested outside a London hotel
where her ex, Michel Millet, worked.She always maintained her
innocence to charges of assaulting him at the IBIS Hotel, Blackfriars
Road, Southwark and stalking him between May 1 and June 30, last
year.Dr. Chawla was found not guilty of
both counts at Croydon Magistrates Court.Hotel staff called the police and
officers said a white male came out and said he was having problems
with his ex-partner who would not leave him alone.Dr. Chawla was arrested just after
midnight on July 1, last year and the court heard she was about to
pull away in her white Mercedes when stopped by the police.Officers say she was “agitated”
and insisted: “I have not done anything.”When questioned she denied knowing
anybody at the hotel, but then admitted her ex-boyfriend worked
there.She was questioned at Walworth
Police Station at 1.37pm and told police the pair had been together
four years, but recently Mr. Millet had been showing a lack of
interest in her.She admitted wanting to know what
was going on and if he had found somebody else, which resulted in
multiple texts being sent to her ex.Police confirm she was “full of
remorse” and there have been no incidents between the pair since.

Sunday, 18 September 2016

A 77 year-old ASBO accountant involved in a bitter parking and access dispute, which he says claimed the life of his son and over £200,000 in legal bills, has received a suspended sentence for breaking the order again.

Roger Jocelyn Gloucester-Trotman, of Devon Road, Sutton and his late son Ian Trotman, who committed suicide aged 44, owned the service road behind a suburban parade of shops, where the defendant's accountancy business is based.

Planning permission was successfully won - despite local objections - to build two three-storey townhouses at each end of the road and Gloucester-Trotman tried to stop neighbouring business owners using and parking there despite them having legal access rights.

Since February 2005 Gloucester-Trotman has continuously been convicted of breaching of ASBOs and restraining orders - around his home and business premises in Westmead Road, Carshalton.

He was convicted by a Croydon Crown Court jury of two counts of breaching an Anti-Social Behaviour Order.

His sentencing was heard at Guildford Crown Court, where he received six months imprisonment, suspended for twenty-one months.

He was also ordered to pay £1400 costs.

The court heard he has clocked-up 27 convictions for similar offences.

The ASBO was made as a result of him continuing to complain to police about issues regarding his son's death, vehicle access and parking to the rear of his office and outside his home.

The dispute has also cost Gloucester-Trotman his professional reputation after he was struck-off by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in 2011, after they finally lost patience with his constant court appearances and ASBO breaches.

On May 28, 2010 his property-developer son was found dead inside a drain located in the disputed access road with an angle-grinder, petrol can and towels and a subsequent inquest found he killed himself by carbon monoxide poisoning.

"He was driven to it by the police," said Gloucester-Trotman, after previously receiving a suspended prison sentence for another ASBO breach.

The development proved incredibly unpopular amongst local residents, who claimed their lives had been made a misery by the father and son's behaviour, their instillation of CCTV and declaring their own parking-free zone.

One neighbour reported Ian Trotman to police for criminal damage after her boiler flue, which was adjacent to the second development site, was vandalised and another 73 year-old resident claimed the son deliberately shovelled lumps of rubble against his legs, sending him crashing to the ground.

That resulted in a criminal trial, but even though Mr. Trotman was cleared of causing actual bodily harm his father says the stress of the prosecution, plus a civil dispute between his son and his ex - Sue Gloucester-Trotman - caused unbearable stress.

The accountant's battle with his business neighbours concerning parking and access in the road ended up at Guildford County Court, which ruled against Gloucester-Trotman, costing him £200,000 in legal bills.

During the dispute he dug up the access road on Boxing Day, preventing any vehicles gaining access and parking.

Those incidents continued to occur from what Gloucester-Trotman saw as a lack of road traffic enforcement, forcing him to be distracted from his accountancy practice to ensure regulations at his home address and office were maintained.

The ASBO was made to prohibit Gloucester-Trotman abusing his neighbours, calling 999 except in an emergency and calling police to complain about car parking and the death of his son.

The order was made to protect three neighbours from harassment, but he has continued to abuse them in the street and regularly turn up at Sutton Police Station to make multiple complaints, at one point having six live cases before the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

Jobless UK-born Ezekpo, of Litchfild Street, Winlaton, Gateshead allowed his name to be falsely entered on the baby’s birth certificate as the father and a bogus passport application was also made.

Both he and Abolore, of Colombus Square, Erith were both found guilty of conspiring to breach immigration law.

A third defendant, nurse Samson Awoyinka, 29, of Havil Street, Southwark, who countersigned the passport application, was acquitted of one count of making a false statement.

Abolore and Ezepko were also convicted of one count of giving false information when registering a birth and Abolore alone found guilty of seeking leave to remain in the UK by deception.

Abolore gave birth at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woolwich on August 6, 2014 and Home Office investigators found a picture on her phone of her partner, Peter Gentry, cradling the new born.

The Nigerian-born couple have no status in the UK and there are no records of them ever entering the country legally.

He is the true father, the jury were told, but as he had no right to remain in the country a plan was hatched to find a stand-in citizen.

“It was necessary for Miss Abolore to find a British citizen and that’s where Mr. Ezekpo come in,” explained prosecutor Mr. Alan Gardner.

Ezekpo & Awoyinka

“He was enlisted as part of a fraudulent scheme to get British citizenship for her to remain in the UK.”

However, online photographs of the baby’s naming ceremony on September 15, 2014 with Mr. Gentry in the role of doting father were found, exposing the fraud, the jury were told.

“A man turned up with her at council offices in Greenwich to register the birth and get a birth certificate.

“The man putting himself forward as the father was not Mr. Gentry, but Mr. Ezekpo and they both said they lived together at 111 Chandlers Drive, Erith, a false address.

“Having obtained the birth certificate Miss Abolore makes an application for a passport and this is signed by Mr. Ezekpo and countersigned by Mr. Awoyinka.

“He said he knew Mr. Ezekpo for five years from his church congregation. This was not true, he barely knew the man.

“British-born Mr. Ezekpo has a separate life from Miss Abolore, he lives near Newcastle.

“When he was questioned he told a pack of lies and refused to give the PIN to unlock his phone,” added Mr. Gardner. “He said someone must have stolen his identity and he had never been to Greenwich.

“He was questioned a second time and changed his story. He said he had an affair with Miss Abolore and she became pregnant and told him the child was his.

“He then admitted he signed the passport application and went to Greenwich.”

Abolore was co-habiting with Mr. Gentry when she was arrested on September 17, last year. “On her phone was a picture of Mr, Gentry holding his newborn son as the hospital.”

The jury was told Abolore was under Home Office investigation and she had no legal basis to be in the UK.

“She said Mr. Gentry was not the father and that he (Ezekpo) was trying to save her face at the naming ceremony.”

Abolore refused consent to a DNA test.

“She had a great deal to hide. She knew if she gave consent to the DNA test it would reveal the truth that Mr. Ezekpo was not the father and her application for a passport and birth certificate were all lies.

Home Office investigators discovered a text Ezekpo sent Abolore giving her his date of birth and bank details.

“He was going to get paid for lending his name to this commercial enterprise,” added Mr. Gardner.

The £1,000 payment was transferred to his account the same day he was entered on the baby’s birth certificate.

He pleaded guilty to assaulting George Bryan, by beating, at Time nightclub, Beckenham in the early hours of May 1.

Today Croydon Crown Court suspended that sentence for eighteen months and Inniss will also have to complete 240 hours community service work.

He must also comply with an alcohol treatment requirement and a twenty day activity requirement and has been excluded from entering licensed premises, except for work or buying food, for twelve months.

An order to pay the victim £300 compensation will remain.

Another Win In The Bag: Parish

The Penge-born defender, who represented England at U-16 and U-17 level on thirteen occasions, was unable to make his debut last Saturday for new loan club Southend United because he was in HMP Belmarsh.

He was not produced from the top-security prison for today’s hearing.

Even though this was his first criminal conviction Inniss has previously been arrested an cautioned for common assault, being drunk and disorderly and resisting a police officer last year and a public order offence in 2011.

Prosecutor Mr. Matthew Bolt told the court: “This stemmed from an incident at Time nightclub in Beckenham.

“It was the Bank Holiday weekend at two in the morning and he was in Time, where Mr. Bryan had gone with a group of friends.

“Mr. Inniss, as well as being something of a public figure is distinctively tall and he has been part of the professional football club since he was fourteen years-old.

“There was a disagreement between the victim and the appellant, it was minor, but involved some pushing and shoving.

“Mr. Inniss took advantage of his height and reach to hit Mr. Bryan with a bottle as he was standing at the back of the group.

“The bottle broke, considerable bleeding was caused, but at the hospital it was realised the injury was not as serious as the amount of blood suggested.

“Mr. Inniss suffered a cut to his finger and door staff persuaded him to leave via a back entrance, but the recriminations between the groups continued outside.”

The police were called and Inniss admitted his finger had been cut on a broken bottle, but made no comment in interview.

In his victim impact statement Mr. Bryan says: “I am at an age when my social life is an important aspect of my life and involves being in tightly-packed pubs and clubs.

“I enjoy going out with friends and enjoy Beckenham, where there is a good atmosphere, but that all changed on May the first.

“It was excessively violent and I was bleeding heavily and in the ambulance on the way to hospital I was fearful about the extent of my injuries.

“I was left with a small scar and with anxiety about going out socially. I feared something could happen again.”

The victim did not leave home for a week, adding: “I am in a state of anxiety in Beckenham. I fear I will encounter the attacker or his friends.

“I used to enjoy going out, but feel that has been taken away from me.”

Mr. Bolt added: “There was a cut, causing heavy bleeding and a fear of much worse injury. An attack in the early hours in a crowded place, drink had been taken and a weapon used.”

Inniss’s lawyer Mr. Peter Hunter told Judge Adam Hiddleston his client’s employer, CPFC Chairman Steve Parish was in court along with the defendant’s mother, a recovering drug-addict, his agent and the club’s lawyer.

“Steve Parish sits here to give his support on behalf of the club. He’s been involved with Mr. Inniss since becoming Chairman of the football club.

“Mr. Inniss is devastated by his actions, he’s a young man with a very bright future and this act jeopardises that future.

“This is a defining moment for him and he realises this behaviour is unacceptable.

“He has not had the easiest of backgrounds. When he was a young teenager his mother was a drug addict and his father was in prison.

“Ryan had the responsibility for two younger siblings. He has worked very, very hard to give himself the opportunity he has now.

“His mother has gone through treatment that Ryan has funded and she has recovered.

“To become a professional footballer is not just talent, but commitment, hard work and dedication.

“As he said to the probation officer: ‘I have no other skill set.’ He accept his actions have been stupid.

“He is not someone the club would stand behind if he did not have these attributes.

“He’s not all bad and one stupid mistake has blighted his whole future.

“That night, in drink, he has let himself down.

“The alcohol is now the issue highlighted by the club and they have passed him on to counselling and an appointment has been made with a counsellor.”

Professional anxiety at season’s end contributed, added Mr. Hunter. “The fear of injury, the fear of what is going to happen.”

Inns has endured an injury-plagued career, which has often cut-short his numerous loan spells with other clubs.

“He understands after the last five days where this behaviour ends. In prison. He’s had a short, sharp shock.

“He earns good wages and can pay compensation.

“He apologises and is very remorseful. He is ashamed of his actions, he is absolutely devastated.

“Custody would simply destroy his chances.”

Judge Hiddleston announced: “In the pre-sentence report he says he was so drunk he could not recall the events at all and his cautions for violent and unruly behaviour all seem to have occurred while he was in drink.

“He accepts alcohol has played a part in all his offending behaviour.

“Use of a weapon is utterly unacceptable and deplorable.

“Anyone, no matter how famous or popular, must accept prison will follow.

“Mr. Inniss needs to appreciate that with success comes responsibility.

‘He is in the public eye. He’s a role model to young people.

“There seems to be an underlying issue with alcohol that needs to be addressed.”

Inniss can now join-up with League one club Southend United, having missed their trip to Scunthorpe last Saturday, where they lost 4-0.

He turned pro in 2011, but has never made a first-team appearance for Crystal Palace and has had loan spells at Cheltenham Town; Luton Town; Gillingham; Yeovil Town and Port Vale.

A product of the Crystal Palace youth academy, which he joined aged fourteen, Inniss signed his first pro contract two years later.